Baseball bat

ABSTRACT

A baseball bat may be provided as part of a baseball training kit and a method of training a baseball player. The bat may include an internal tube sized to accommodate a plurality of cylindrical weights. Similarly sized cylindrical spacers, having significantly less mass than the weights, may also be inserted into the internal tube. Players can select different weight resistances by selecting which of a plurality of spacers and weights should be inserted, and in which order. A cap may be provided proximate the handle in order to secure the weights and spacers within the internal tube.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/689,973 filed on Aug. 29, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/380,693 filed on Aug. 29, 2016, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to baseball bats and, more particularly, training or practice bats and kits.

BACKGROUND

The sport of baseball is a bat and ball game which has existed in its current form for nearly two centuries. Bats used for baseball are typically a smooth wooden or metal club. By regulation, a baseball bat may be no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at its barrel, the thickest portion of the bat, and no more than 42 inches long. The end of the bat proximate to the barrel may be referred to as the cap or the top of the bat, while the opposite end of the bat is a handle, to be gripped by a user of the bat, and a knob, which is a wider piece designed to keep the bat from slipping from the user's hands.

Training devices have been developed to assist players in practicing their swinging. For instance, cylindrical weights may be added around a standard, regulation bat in order to increase torque and provide greater resistance for a user practicing with the weighted bat. These cylindrical weights are sometimes referred to as donuts. A weighted bat can, accordingly, allow a user to develop additional strength leading to greater bat swing speed when the user removes the weights.

Special training bats have also been developed to allow a player to adjust the weight of the bat. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,386, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a training bat that is hollow with a disk positioned in the interior of the bat at substantially the center of the plate, a plate positioned in the interior of the bat at substantially the end of the striking end of the bat, and an object positioned in the interior of the bat and moveable between the disk and the plate.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of every embodiment disclosed herein. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the various embodiments nor delineate the scope of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the disclosure, in accordance with the various embodiments disclosed herein, in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In one embodiment of the disclosure, a baseball training kit may include a baseball bat having a handle, a barrel, and a tube extending through the interior of the bat along a longitudinal axis of the bat, with the tube having a tube length. A plurality of weights may be insertable within the tube, the plurality of weights including at least a first weight having a first length and a second weight having a second length. A plurality of spacers may also be insertable within the tube, the plurality of spacers including at least a first spacer having the first length and a second spacer having the second length. The kit may also include a removable cap proximate to the handle of the bat for sealing the tube.

In another embodiment of the disclosure, a method of baseball training may include providing a baseball bat having a handle and a barrel, with the bat including a tube having a tube length and extending through the interior of the bat along a longitudinal axis of the bat and a removable cap proximate the handle and dimensioned to seal the tube. The method may further include selecting at least one of a plurality of weights with each weight having a first length or a second length, optionally selecting at least one of a plurality of spacers with each spacer having either the first length or the second length and the selected weights and optionally selected spacers having a collective length equal to or less than the tube length. The method may include inserting the selected weights and optionally selected spacers into the tube through the handle of the bat, sealing the tube by attaching the removable cap, and repeatedly swinging the baseball bat.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative aspects of the embodiments of the disclosure. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the disclosure may be employed and the various embodiments are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectional review of an embodiment of a training bat.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a removable knob in an embodiment of a training bat.

FIG. 3 illustrates a baseball training kit.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a rod used with an embodiment of a training bat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate some embodiments of the disclosure for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use these embodiments. As such, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely illustrative in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner. It should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and in certain instances details may have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments, such as details of fabrication and assembly. In the accompanying drawings, like numerals represent like components.

In one embodiment of the disclosure, a baseball training kit may include a baseball bat having a handle, a barrel, and a tube extending through the interior of the bat along a longitudinal axis of the bat, with the tube having a tube length. A plurality of weights may be insertable within the tube, the plurality of weights including at least a first weight having a first length and a second weight having a second length. A plurality of spacers may also be insertable within the tube, the plurality of spacers including at least a first spacer having the first length and a second spacer having the second length. The kit may also include a removable cap proximate to the handle of the bat for sealing the tube.

In further embodiments, the kit may further include a resilient member attached to the removable cap and insertable into a portion of the tube. The first length may be between 5 to 9 times the second length. The plurality of weights may include one first weight and one to three second weights, and the plurality of spacers may include one first spacer and one to three second spacers. The tube length may be equal to the resilient member in a compressed state plus the first length and one to three second lengths. The tube may be composed of aluminum.

In another embodiment of the disclosure, a method of baseball training may include providing a baseball bat having a handle and a barrel, with the bat including a tube having a tube length and extending through the interior of the bat along a longitudinal axis of the bat and a removable cap proximate the handle and dimensioned to seal the tube. The method may further include selecting at least one of a plurality of weights with each weight having a first length or a second length, optionally selecting at least one of a plurality of spacers with each spacer having either the first length or the second length and the selected weights and optionally selected spacers having a collective length equal to or less than the tube length. The method may include inserting the selected weights and optionally selected spacers into the tube through the handle of the bat, sealing the tube by attaching the removable cap, and repeatedly swinging the baseball bat.

In further embodiments of the method, the first length may be between 5 to 9 times the second length. The first length may be greater than half the tube length. At least one of the weights or spacers may have a first length. A maximum of three weights or spacers may have a second length.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a training baseball bat 100 may include a barrel 110, a handle 120, and a knob 130. The interior of bat 100 may be composed of a hard rubber or plastic composite including an interior tube or passage 10 extending along a longitudinal axis through bat 100. In some embodiments, tube 10 may be integrally formed into the material from which bat 100 is constructed. Tube 10 may also be formed by a separate component inserted into bat 100, and tube 10 may be formed from aluminum, plastic, or another durable material. Composite materials particularly suited for supporting tube 10 are further contemplated within the disclosure. Any suitable material known to a person of skill in the art may be used for the supporting tube 10. Tube 10 may be cylindrical with a circular cross-section, as depicted, or alternatively may have other cross-sections such as square or triangular.

Tube 10 may accommodate a plurality of weights 20/20A, which may have dimensions conformed to tube 10. For example, in the case of the illustrated embodiment the tube 10 is cylindrical, and the weights 20/20A are cylinders sized to fit within tube 10. Weights 20/20A may be significantly denser than the material bat 100 is made from. A plurality of sizes for weights are contemplated in accordance with the disclosure. A first weight 20 may be significantly longer than a second weight 20A. First weight 20 may be approximately 5 to 9 times the length of second weight 20A. For example, in a practice bat 100 measuring a length of 31″, first weight 20 may have a length of about 20.5″ while three second weights may have a length of about 3″. Tube 10 may also accommodate a plurality of spacers 30/30A, which may have dimensions conformed to tube 10. Longer, first spacers 30 may have substantially similar dimensions to long, first weights 20, while shorter, second spacers 30A may have substantially similar dimensions with shorter, second weights 20A. In this respect, a player using bat 100 may interchange spacers 30/30A and weights 20/20A as so desired to adjust the weight and balance of the bat. Spacers 30/30A may be significantly lighter than weights 20/20A. In one embodiment, the weights 20/20A may be made from stainless steel or another metal similar to material used for exercise free weights, while spacers 30/30A may be made from a translucent or semi-translucent plastic.

Tube 10 may be accessible by a removable cap 40 provided on knob 130. Cap 40 and knob 130 may have complementary threading in order to releasably secure cap 40 to knob 130. Threading may alternatively be provided on tube 10 rather than knob 130 in order to secure cap 40. A spring or other resilient member 50 may be connected to cap 40 and insertable into a portion of tube 10. Spring 50 may press against an end weight 20/20A or spacer 30/30 a provided in tube 10, thereby securing the weights and/or spacers within tube 10 and preventing longitudinal movement within tube 10.

FIG. 3 illustrates components of bat 100 as a baseball training kit, which may include bat 100, a removable cap 40, a plurality of weights 20/20A and a plurality of spacers 30/30A.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a rod, meaning a weight 20/20A or spacer 30/30A, including a key or channel 40 provided along an outer surface of the rod. Channel 40 may be semi-circular from an end view, however other shapes are contemplated such as angled or semi-rectangular. Channel 40 may extend from each longitudinal end of the rod 20/30. By including one or more rods 20/30 with channel 40, the rods may be able to better insert into bat 100. In some embodiments, the outer circumference of rods 20/30 may be very close to the inner circumference of tube 10 such that an outer surface of an inserted rod 20/30 may contact or nearly all circumferential sides of tube 10 so as to prevent lateral movement, such as rattling. In this embodiment, rods 20/30 may be difficult to insert due to air pressure resistance and the inability for air within the tube to pass around rods 20/30 due to their contacting or close proximate with the inner walls of tube 10. Accordingly, channel 40 may be provided so as to permit the majority of the outer surface of rods 20/30 to contact or nearly contact the inner surface to tube 10 while providing a passage for air within tube 10 thereby facilitating the longitudinal movement of rod 20/30 resulting from insertion or removal of the rod.

The descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Various modifications of the embodiments, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the concepts described herein. Each patent, patent application and publication cited or described in this document are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties.

The foregoing description of possible implementations consistent with the present disclosure does not represent a comprehensive list of all such implementations or all variations of the implementations described. The description of some implementation should not be construed as an intent to exclude other implementations. For example, artisans will understand how to implement the embodiments in many other ways, using equivalents and alternatives that do not depart from the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, unless indicated to the contrary in the preceding description, none of the components described in the implementations are essential to the embodiments disclosed. It is thus intended that the embodiments be considered as illustrative, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed:
 1. A baseball training kit comprising: a baseball bat having a handle and a barrel, the bat including a tube extending through the interior of the bat along a longitudinal axis of the bat, the tube having a tube length; a plurality of weights insertable within the tube, the plurality of weights including at least a first weight having a first length and a second weight having a second length; a plurality of spacers insertable within the tube, the plurality of spacers including at least a first spacer having the first length and a second spacer having the second length; and a removable cap proximate to the handle of the bat for sealing the tube, wherein the each of the plurality of weights and spacers include a channel provided on an outer surface of each of the plurality of weights and spacers, the channel extending longitudinally across each of the plurality of weights and spacers.
 2. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a resilient member attached to the removable cap and insertable into a portion of the tube.
 3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the first length is between 5 to 9 times the second length.
 4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of weights includes one first weight and one to three second weights, and the plurality of spacers includes one first spacer and one to three second spacers.
 5. The kit of claim 4 further comprising a resilient member attached to the removable cap and insertable into a portion of the tube, and wherein the tube length is equal to the resilient member in a compressed state plus the first length and one to three second lengths.
 6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the tube is composed of aluminum.
 7. The kit of claim 1, wherein the outer circumference of each of the spacers and weights is approximately the same as an inner circumference of the tube.
 8. A method of baseball training comprising: providing a baseball bat having a handle and a barrel, the bat including a tube having a tube length and an inner circumference, the tube extending through the interior of the bat along a longitudinal axis of the bat, and a removable cap proximate the handle and dimensioned to seal the tube; selecting at least one of a plurality of weights, each weight having either a first length or a second length, each weight having an outer circumference approximately the same as the inner circumference of the tube, and each weight having a channel extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the weight; optionally selecting at least one of a plurality of spacers, each spacer having an outer circumference approximately the same as the inner circumference of the tube, each spacer having either the first length or the second length, each spacer having a channel extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the spacer, and the selected weights and the optionally selected spacers having a collective length equal to or less than the tube length; inserting the selected weights and optionally selected spacers into the tube through the handle of the bat; sealing the tube by attaching the removable cap; and repeatedly swinging the baseball bat.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the cap further includes a resilient member insertable into the tube, and wherein a collective length resilient member in a compressed state plus the selected weights and optionally selected spacers are equal to the tube length.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first length is between 5 to 9 times the second length.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first length is greater than half the tube length.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one weight or spacer having a first length is selected.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein a maximum of three weights or three spacers having a second length are included in the plurality of weights and spacers. 